Bhubaneswar, May 6: Suresh Kumar Routray six-time MLA from Jatani Assembly constituency is once again in the limelight.
After expulsion from Congress party, he is openly and overwhelmingly campaigning for his younger son, Manmath Routray, who is contesting as a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat.
He is frequently seen accompanying for his son at public events and city parks where Manmath Routray sought votes. The senior Congress leader’s actions were significant because they could impact his son’s chances and potentially affect the winning prospects of Aparajita Sarangi, the BJP national spokesperson and saffron party candidate for Bhubaneswar.
In an attempt to unite both BJD and his supporters in Jatani assembly constituency, Suresh Routray previously organized meeting at Somanath Temple, Harirajpur where pledges were made to work together for the BJD MP candidate Manmath Routray and BJD MLA candidate Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantray in Jatani.
Despite these efforts, the factions did not collaborate effectively, prompting Suresh Routray to make further attempts to rally support for the BJD candidates. He conducted a meeting at Khanduali temple of Kushamati, Jatani. The recent meeting saw a large gathering of both local BJD workers and supporters of Suresh Routray.
In this occasion, Bhubaneswar BJD MP Candidate Manmath Routray and Jatani BJD MLA candidate Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantray were also present. Balabantray, the party president for Khurdha district, emphasized the importance of unity and warned against neglecting either the MP or MLA candidate. He urged both groups to work diligently to ensure victory for both candidates.